South Carolina-Owned and Operated Insurance Carrier

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina (BCBSSC) is the sole South Carolina owned and operated health insurance carrier. Serving nearly one million South Carolinians, BCBSSC consistently ranks as one of the best Blue Cross plans in the nation. Earning honors as a top employer for the state, BCBSSC has more than 12,000 employees in offices throughout South Carolina, as well as in Virginia and Texas. In order to stay competitive in the market, BCBSSC sought an automated solution for managing benefits enrollment for its nearly 8,000 employer groups.

BCBSSC Wanted Online Tools to Eliminate Data Entry Challenges

Previously, BCBSSC used a complex internal mainframe for benefits data. As a result, it was difficult and time consuming to adequately train the representatives who used the system to upload the benefits information provided by BCBSSC’s employer clients. Additionally, BCBSSC was experiencing challenges with data entry errors and increased lag time for changes and deletions made using this system.

Because of these problems, the carrier wanted a solution that would reduce the amount of mistakes while saving the company valuable time for other strategic initiatives. BCBSSC also wanted a Web-based system that would provide them with an online presence in order to stay competitive in the small group market.

“There was a big push from our brokers to get our benefits administration online,” said Terry Peace, vice president of group and individual operations for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina. “We knew we would have to make the switch eventually if we wanted to attract and retain new clients while moving more aggressively into our target markets.”

BCBSSC’s venture toward an online enrollment system led them to a partnership with Benefitfocus. In fact, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina was the first carrier to partner with Benefitfocus.

Online Enrollment System Implemented for All Small Groups

BCBSSC chose the Benefitfocus Platform™, privately-labeled BluesEnroll, as their online enrollment system delivered via the Internet. The Platform educates BCBSSC employees throughout the enrollment process, leading them to make more informed choices. It is equipped with all their business rules and the capability to be personalized for each employer.

Delivered through a One-to-Many database design, BluesEnroll easily integrates with BCBSSC’s employer groups’ payroll and HR systems as well as other insurance carriers for ancillary benefits.

Benefitfocus Platform Reduces Processing Time and Increases Customer Satisfaction

Since going live with the Platform in December of 2007, BluesEnroll has greatly reduced the number of errors made in the system. The Web-based system has also decreased the turnaround time for entries, changes and deletions. “Previously, it took us 42-78 hours to process enrollment applications,” said Peace. “With BluesEnroll, the same procedure takes less than 24 hours and the information entered can be viewed in real-time.”

The Platform has led to increased satisfaction for BCBSSC employer groups and their employees as well. Benefit administrators using the technology have greater control over the enrollment process and access to information on demand. “The BluesEnroll system is clear and intuitive,” said Peace. “The reports are especially beneficial, as they allow us to track activity in the system in a concise manner.”

Over the years, Blue Cross Blue Shield has expanded its partnership with Benefitfocus to include Benefitfocus eBilling™ and additional data exchange services for employers who have their own online enrollment system. The combination of the Platform and eBilling allows the insurance carrier to provide a seamless online experience for its customers. eBilling users view their bills and enrollment data from one portal.